It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR).
What Is Insider Buying?
It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. As Peter Lynch said, ‘insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.
View our latest analysis for EPR Properties
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At EPR Properties
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Senior VP, Craig Evans, sold US$383k worth of shares at a price of US$76.57 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$72.99. While we don’t usually like to see insider selling, it’s more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn’t a major concern, though it’s hardly a good sign.
We note that in the last year insiders divested 16825 shares for a total of US$1.3m. EPR Properties insiders didn’t buy any shares over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
I will like EPR Properties better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.
Insider Ownership of EPR Properties
Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it’s a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that EPR Properties insiders own 1.3% of the company, worth about US$73m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.
So What Does This Data Suggest About EPR Properties Insiders?
There haven’t been any insider transactions in the last three months — that doesn’t mean much. Our analysis of EPR Properties insider transactions leaves us cautious. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for EPR Properties.
But note: EPR Properties may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.
For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.
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If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.